South Carolina General Assembly
121st Session, 2015-2016

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Bill 310


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND ARTICLE 9, CHAPTER 13, TITLE 8 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO FORMS AND REPORTS BY CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, TO ENACT THE "BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ELECTION REFORM ACT", BY ADDING SECTION 8-13-940 TO PROVIDE FOR THE DEFINITION OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION REPORT, TO PROVIDE THAT CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MUST FILE A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION REPORT WITH THE HOUSE AND SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE, TO PROVIDE THAT NO VOTE CAN BE TAKEN ON A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION UNTIL TEN DAYS AFTER THE REPORT IS FILED, TO PROVIDE THAT A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION REPORT MUST ACCOMPANY THE APPOINTMENT TRANSMISSION TO THE SENATE, TO PROVIDE THAT AN APPOINTEE MAY NOT BE CONFIRMED UNLESS THE REPORT ACCOMPANIES THE TRANSMISSION TO THE SENATE, AND TO PROHIBIT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CANDIDATES AND APPOINTEES TO CANDIDATES FOR OR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    This act may be cited as the "Boards and Commissions Election Reform Act".

SECTION    2.    Article 9, Chapter 13, Title 8 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 8-13-940.    (A)    For purposes of this section, 'campaign contribution report' means a form prescribed by the State Ethics Commission that contains full and complete information concerning campaign contributions to candidates for and members of the General Assembly made by a candidate or appointee for membership on a state board or commission. The report must cover the time period beginning with the previous general election cycle and ending on the date the candidate announces his candidacy or an appointee is appointed by the Governor.

(B)    A person who is a candidate for membership on a state board or commission which is filled by election by the General Assembly may not be voted upon by the General Assembly until at least ten days following the date on which the candidate files a campaign contribution report with the Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ethics Committee. The report must be distributed to each member of the General Assembly and included in any candidate qualification reports.

(C)    A person who is appointed to a state board or commission which is filled with the advice and consent of the Senate or the General Assembly may not be confirmed unless the appointment, when received by the Senate or the General Assembly, is accompanied by a campaign contribution report. The report must be distributed to each member of the Senate or General Assembly, as appropriate, and included in any candidate qualification reports.

(D)    A candidate or appointee is prohibited from making campaign contributions to candidates for and members of the General Assembly beginning on the date that his candidacy is announced or the date that he is appointed and ending on the date of final action on his candidacy or appointment."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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